Zina Bethune

Dancer, choreographer, teacher and actress Zina Bethune was killed in a tragic accident while trying to rescue an injured animal on the highway. I didn't know her, but several friends did (including my husband) and they speak so lovingly of her. I tried unsuccessfully to copy and paste an LA Times article on her. She has been posthumously given an award by PETA for her devotion to animals. After reading about her, she truly seemed a remarkable woman.

I remember her from the soap opera she acted in during the '60s. The article mentions it as "Doctors and Nurses." That -- the title -- I forgot, but I remembered Bethune's special light. It made sense when I learned that she'd been a dancer.

The article portrays her as an especially empathetic and generous soul. Perhaps it was that quality that shone through the tv screen.

I'm glad you started this topic, Gina. I've been thinking about Zina Bethune ever since I read her obituary. I first saw her on "Doctors and Nurses", coincidentally, when my mother was watching this soap in the 60's. I also found out about then that she had been a NYCB dancer. Because of that, I looked for her for years, especially when the internet made it easy to find info on people. I never did discover where her life had led her until I read of her accomplishments in the obit. What a tragic end to a lovely person! To read that the animal she left her car to rescue was actually a dead opossum makes it seem even more senseless.

I remember the first time I saw her on the soap, she was standing behind the counter in the nurses' station with her hair in a chignon, or was a French twist. She stood so straight and was so pretty that I watched the show several times after that just to see her! RIP, Ms. Bethune.

i knew her only from being in classes with her over 30 years ago. she was warm and open and friendly, a pleasure to be around. later i saw her in some of the acting work she did and was very impressed by her. what a terrible loss.

I remember when she was guest artist for the Nutcracker done by my small ballet school in So. Calif. She wore very heavy flesh-colored tights and her legs seemed quite thick in comparison to the rest of her body. I recall being a tad skeptical about her abilities until she began dancing - she was marvelous. Now I see from the article that she suffered from lymphedema, which explains what were most likely compression tights. Knowing this my admiration for her has grown. RIP, Ms. Bethune.

With great respect, I write my recollections of Zina. I, too, remember the heavy tights and did recall that she mentioned lymphedema. She also used to talk about her hip replacement because of hip dysplasia. She was very young to have gone through that and still was dancing. She said that she had an excellent doctor who understood the demands of ballet dancing and gave her a joint with greater range of motion. So great, that it was her better and more turned out leg and she couldn't wait to have her other one done so that it could match the other one.

She seemed very nice, open and friendly, even though she was a well known actress and a dancer/director with her own company in NY and later Los Angeles.